Celtics hand Bulls worst loss in franchise history

FAN Editor
NBA: Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls
Dec 8, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics forward Daniel Theis (27) dunks against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

December 9, 2018

Daniel Theis scored a career-high 22 points, and Boston opened the game with 17 consecutive points while rolling to an easy 133-77 victory over the host Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Jaylen Brown scored a team-best 23 points off the bench, and Jayson Tatum made all four 3-point attempts while scoring 18 points as the Celtics won their season-best fifth straight contest. Terry Rozier added 15 points, Kyrie Irving and Semi Ojeleye each scored 13 and Marcus Morris tallied 12 for Boston.

Shaquille Harrison scored a career-best 20 points, Zach LaVine added 11 and Cameron Payne had 10 for the Bulls, who have lost eight of their last nine. The franchise-worst 56-point defeat occurred in Jim Boylen’s third game as coach after replacing the fired Fred Hoiberg.

It also was the Celtics’ largest margin of victory in franchise history.

Boston was 22 of 43 from 3-point range as Brown, Ojeleye and Rozier each knocked down three. The Celtics shot 53.8 percent overall.

Theis collected a season-best 10 rebounds to help Boston record a 54-37 rebounding edge. He had an increased role with Al Horford scratched due to a knee injury.

The Bulls shot 38.3 percent and were 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

Chicago missed its first 11 field-goal attempts while the Celtics were scoring the first 17 points. Morris’ dunk with 6:12 left capped the burst for Boston.

Jabari Parker’s two free throws with 5:42 to play were the Bulls’ first points, and Robin Lopez’s basket 36 seconds later was the team’s first field goal.

The Celtics held a 20-point lead on Gordon Hayward’s 3-pointer with 33.1 seconds left before settling for a 35-17 advantage.

Boston led 43-21 early in the second quarter after Rozier drained a 3-pointer with 9:47 left in the half. LaVine’s three-point play moved Chicago within 48-33 with 6:17 to play, but Marcus Smart knocked down a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to give the Celtics a 64-43 halftime lead.

The assault continued in the third quarter as Boston pushed the lead over 30 for the time when Irving buried a 3-pointer to make it 83-51 with 5:41 left. The margin was 34 two-plus minutes later on Brown’s basket, and the Celtics closed the quarter with a 93-60 lead.

The lead topped 40 for the first time when Brown drained a 3-pointer to make it 109-67 with 8:19 remaining.

Brown also did the honors to push the lead over 50 when he connected on a 3-pointer to make it 125-73 with 3:12 to play.

Boston’s biggest lead was 58 points.

–Field Level Media

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